Cigarette dispenser



Feb. 2; 1943.

M. TANZI CIGARETTE DISPENSER File'd Nov. 15, 1940 I JUL/E2720]? F. W 5 H Patented Feb. 2, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CIGARETTE DISPENSER Mario Tanzi, Chicago, Ill.

Application November 13, 1940, Serial No. 365,410 1 Claim. (01. 206-41) This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a cigarette dispenser and has for its object the provision of a dispenser which shall be light in weight, cheap to manufacture, easy to operate and which will not add appreciably to the size of the cigarette package housed therein.

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of an elastic flexible easing or container adapted to receive and partly enclose the cigarette package. This casing may be formed of rubber or other suitable material.

Another feature of the invention resides in so forming that part of the container that normally covers the open end of the package that it may be turned or folded back to expose the ends of the cigarettes and when so folded back will tend to stay in such position but when in its normal position, it will resist such folding back sufiiciently to securely remain in position when carried in the pocket or other receptacle.

Another feature of the invention resides in so proportioning and arranging the dispenser that it not only retains the cigarettes in the package, but also snugly engages the ends of the cigarettes therein so as to prevent the loss of the tobacco from th cigarettes.

Other features and advantages will appear from the following detailed description thereof in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 illustrates what is now considered the preferred form of the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a modification of Fig. l in which portions of the side members, adjacent to that part of the container which is arranged to cover the open end of the package, are cut away so that the end cover may be somewhat more easily folded back to expose the ends of the cigarettes:

Fig. 3 shows a further modification in which the portion of the dispenser which engages the closed end of the package is not laterally extended as in the forms of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 shows a form in which an elastic strip, as a rubber band, is employed to hold the cover for the open end of the package firmly in position;

Fig. 5 illustrates a form in which two elastic strips are provided on each side of the dispenser;

Fig. 6 shows a form in which the elastic strip which holds the cover in position is positioned at one side of the medial line of the package; and

Fig. 7 shows the blank form from which the dispenser of Fig. l is formed.

Referring now to the drawing, it! indicates a cigarette package, one end of which is open or cut away, as shown at l2 in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the dispenser consists of a strip of relatively thin material which passes completely about the package longitudinally thereof. The base l3 and the cover [4 are laterally extended from the side strips 15. It is particularly necessary that the cover extend to, or preferably slightly beyond the edge of the package so as to fully cover the ends of the cigarettes. When the cover is extended beyond the edge of the package, a tab i6 is provided which may be conveniently grasped to fold back the end of the cover to the position shown in Fig. 1.

The device of Fig. 2 differs from that of Fig. 1 merely in forming the sides adjacent to the cover M with triangular openings I! which makes the device slightly more flexible so that the cover M is somewhat more easily rolled back to the position indicated in Fig. 1.

In the device of Fig. 3, the base I3 is not provided with the tab it, but the edge M of the cover is positioned even with, or slightly beyond the edge of the package.

The structure shown in Fig. 4 differs from that of Fig. 3 in that a rubber band or like device I! is substituted for the side members l5 and bottom E3 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 shows a dispenser similar to that of Fig. 1, except each side is composed of two strips !5 which acts to hold the cover somewhat more firmly in position.

In Fig. 6, the side strips are arranged nearer to one edge of the package so that the cover I4 may be turned back to a greater extent to ex pose more of the cigarettes.

In the embodiment of the device shown in Fig. 1, the dispenser is formed by overlapping the ends of the blank illustrated in Fig. '7 and cementing or stapling them together. The other modifications may be formed in a similar and equally easy manner. In Fig. 1 is illustrated the manner in which a book 21 of matches may be secured to the package so as to be readily available at all times.

It often happens that when an open ended package of cigarettes is carried for some time or when one is actively employed, much of the tobacco escapes from the cigarettes, sometimes to such an extent that some of the cigarettes may be made practically useless.

The dispenser herein disclosed, due to its elasticity, not only holds the cigarettes in the package but snugly engages the ends thereof so as to prevent the loss of tobacco from the cigarettes into the pocket or other container in which the package is carried.

The present disclosure describes the dispenser as formed of elastic material. It should be understood, however, that it need not be entirely of elastic material, it being merely necessary to provide suflicient elasticity somewhere in the portion which retains the cover in position so that the cover snugly engages the end of the package and the cigarettes therein. The cover portion which is adapted to overlie the open end of the package should be of flexible material which will permit it to be readily rolled back as shown in Fig. 1 but which, when in normal position will tend to remain there.

The invention herein should not be limited to the exact details disclosed, but should include such modifications thereof as will suggest themselves to the worker in the art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

I claim:

In a cigarette dispenser, the combination of a cigarette package open at one end and a removable closure attachment therefor, said attachment comprising a flexible member positioned upon and entirely covering said open end and closing the opening, and elastic means extending longitudinally of the package from opposite sides of said flexible member to retain the flexible member in place, an end of said flexible member being free for flexing movements away from said open end to expose a complemental portion of the opening for the removal of cigarettes from the package.

MARIO TANZI. 

